Vern McLeans Leyland P76 Story

My Father’s Leyland P76 Story
My father lived for many years on the family farm at “MacFord Park”, in the district of
Kongorong, near Mount Gambier in the south-east of South Australia where, with my Mum,
he was a dairy and sheep farmer.
He bought his first Leyland P76, a brand-new Deluxe in Bold as Brass yellow, in September
1973. A few years later in around 1978, he bought a second-hand P76 Executive, in the
highly sought after Peel Me a Grape colour. This became his main vehicle until early 1989
when an unfortunate encounter with a couple of rather flighty Friesian heifers rendered the
car unusable (more about this later).
Shortly after this, Dad bought another P76 – a Deluxe in Oh Fudge brown. Following the
heifer incident with the Executive, Dad then used this car as his main vehicle until he passed
away in 1998.
After Dad passed away the Bold as Brass Deluxe was sold, but the Oh Fudge Deluxe and the
Peel Me a Grape Executive remained in a storage shed at the farm, together with an Am Eye
Blue Super which Dad had also previously obtained to use for spare parts.
Dad was well known in the district and amongst our friends and extended family for his
affection and admiration for the P76 – he genuinely believed it was a wonderful car, albeit a
bit before its time, and ideally suited to the needs of people on the land. He was a wellrespected client of Hopgoods Garage – for many years the local Leyland dealer in Mount
Gambier.
During January this year, having returned from overseas, I collected all the P76 cars at the
property together, as well as a set of P76 spare parts, and put together a description of each
item, including photographs. I’ve included these descriptions below.
I’m making all the items listed below available for sale as a bundle to all interested parties.
Given Dad’s affection for the P76, I’d like to think they’ll go to an owner with a similar
regard for the P76.
All the vehicles and items have been stored in a shed away from sunlight and rain. I’m
asking for a minimum bid of $[xxxx] for the Oh Fudge Leyland, with the accompanying set of
spare parts and the other two Leylands to go to the successful bidder.
Oh Fudge Leyland
Dad bought his P76 Deluxe in Oh Fudge in March 1989, at which time it had done 87,160
miles. However this vehicle had been through a few engine-related changes before Dad
bought it. It was first purchased from Hopgoods Garage in Mt Gambier by a local nursery
business in February 1975. Some 2-3 years later, at 12,659 miles it was sold back to the
dealer and the original V8 engine removed. The car was then sold to another person in the
district, and a Leyland six-cylinder engine fitted, together with appropriate components.
After some years, it was then sold to Dad, and after he bought it, the six-cylinder motor was
removed, and the V8 motor from the Peel Me a Grape Leyland fitted. This is the present
motor in the vehicle and corresponds to the second engine number stated in the
specifications below. In 1991 Dad had an LPG conversion added to the vehicle.
Unfortunately, in 2001 this replacement engine overheated, and suffered a warped head
which has not been repaired. The engine is still functionally fine, but needs a new head, or
alternatively, one of the spare parts items is a Leyland six-cylinder engine (engine #[ xxx-yyy]
- see below) in good condition, which could be used as a replacement.
When Dad bought the Oh Fudge Leyland it had a 4-speed on the floor manual configuration
– together with 2 bucket seats - however from new it had been shipped with a 3-speed
column-shift automatic configuration and a bench front seat. When Dad replaced the engine
with the V8 from the Peel Me a Grape P76 he also took the 3-speed on the floor automatic
configuration from that car, but left the seats as is. Again, one of the spare parts items
below is a bench front seat that matches the other seats in this P76.
This vehicle is in good condition, as can be seen from the photos below. There is some
minor cosmetic damage to the rear left-hand side panel of the car. Other than the issue
with the head, the engine runs well, and all the other aspects of the car function properly.
The car has been stored in a shed for a number of years, which has prevented damage from
sunlight and rain.
I have the manufacturer’s service/logbook for this vehicle.
Information and Specifications
Model: P76 V8 Deluxe
Colour: Oh Fudge
Serial/Chassis #: 0764S2N44-18727
Engine #: 4402-2436, 4404-1671
Date of Manufacture: 10/74
Date of First Purchase: 14-02-75
Registration: SGU 835 (SA)
Mileage: 134,439 miles
Peel-me-a-Grape Leyland
Dad bought his P76 Executive in Peel Me a Grape sometime in 1978 or 1979 - none of us
family can remember exactly when. Given this vehicle was a little nicer in terms of
equipment and comfort than the Bold as Brass Deluxe (it even had after-market air
conditioning fitted!) it became Dads main vehicle for quite some time.
Unfortunately in early 1989, the Executive came off second-best in an encounter with a
couple of rather flighty Friesian heifers. As far as I know (Dad was always a bit tight-lipped
about the event), Dad was on his way to a cattle sale with the heifers in a cattle-trailer he
was towing behind the Executive. At some point, the heifers became a spooked by the
trailer and moved to the rear, and then moved from side to side. Before Dad had time to
slow down or stop, the car and trailer jack-knifed and the trailer overturned and partly
crushed the back of the car. Very fortunately, both Dad and the heifers were unhurt – they
managed to scramble out and shakily wander off. The net effect of this was that a fair
section of the back of the car was squashed, and Dad deciding enough was enough, towed
the car home and relegated it to the shed where it has stayed ever since, being used for
spare parts. The photos below show it as it is today.
The vehicle retains its back differential and wheels, and whilst the front seats were taken
out (and are part of the spare parts collection, see below), the back seat remains. As
mentioned above, the engine and gearbox of this vehicle have been transferred to the Oh
Fudge Leyland. The vehicle is also missing front stub axles, brake assemblies, and
instrument panel, which have been sold.
I have the manufacturer’s service/logbook for this vehicle.
Information and Specifications
Model: P76 V8 Executive
Colour: Peel Me a Grape
Serial/Chassis #: 076B4S4A44-1471
Engine #: 4404-1671
Date of Manufacture: 10/73
Date of First Purchase: 04-01-74
Registration: SEA 360 (SA)
Mileage: estimated 125,000 miles
Am Eye Blue Leyland
Dad bought the Am Eye Blue P76 Super in 1994 as a source of spare parts. It retains its rear
differential, stub axles, drum brakes and wheels, as well as bonnet (shown in spare part list).
In the cabin, all the original seats, trim and instrument panel remain. It has no engine,
gearbox, stub axles or brake discs at the front.
Information and Specifications
Model: P76 V8 Super
Colour: Am Eye Blue
Serial/Chassis #: 076A4S4M44-1381
Engine #: N/A
Date of Manufacture: 12/73
Date of First Purchase: N/A
Registration: SVE 766 (SA)
Mileage: 151,090 miles
Spare parts
Executive Front Bucket Seats (from Peel Me a Grape Executive)
Super Front Bucket Seats
Deluxe Front Bench Seat (co-ordinate with Oh Fudge Deluxe)
Executive Wheel Trims
Engine [engine number?]
Rear Differential
4-speed manual gearbox
4-speed manual gearbox (goes with 6-cylinder motor)
Interior Light Covers
Dashboard Surround/Trim
Deluxe Grille
Executive/Super Grill
Window Winder
Exterior Rear View Mirror
Front Bumper Bar
Executive drivers side door trim
Various Window Trim
Radiator
Boot Trim
Bonnet from Am Eye Blue Leyland (Super)
Leyland wheels (+ additional fourth wheel found later)
Rear vent trims (in Peel Me a Grape)
Rear left brake/signal block
Accelerator/Brake Pedals
Steering Wheel assembly